Seasonal· Mopelia (Maupiha'a)· French Polynesia — Society Islands
Mopelia Cyclone Season & No-Shelter Warning
16° 48.0′ S · 153° 57.0′ W · approximate
Mopelia is a low coral atoll with nowhere to run, and in November 1997 Cyclone Martin's waves swept right across it. Visit only in the settled May-October trade-wind season, and leave well before the cyclone season starts.
Practical
Coordinate is approximate: centre of the atoll. Wikipedia: Cyclone Martin peaked as a Category 3 storm near Bellingshausen, Mopelia and Scilly on November 3, 1997; waves swept across the low-lying island and destroyed its buildings, and eight people died across the three atolls. A 2010 cruiser account (Gryphon) describes the aftermath still visible: houses and gardens wrecked, pearl farming abandoned, and the water cisterns the only structures to survive. Multihulls World: the hot, wet season from November to April is the cyclone period, with stronger winds; May to October brings stable SE-E trades. Even in season, squash zones can bring gales: Gryphon sat out 42 kn with rain inside the lagoon in September 2010. The lagoon offers no hurricane hole, the pass can close in swell, and help is about 100 nm upwind, so treat Mopelia as a May-October stop, leave Bora Bora or Maupiti on a clean multi-day forecast, and be ready to leave early if a front or swell is forecast. No services, no medical care, no clearance (see the supply entry).
Best for
Choosing the window and knowing when to leave
Season
Visit May-Oct; cyclone season Nov-Apr (avoid)
Nearby
- Mopelia Access & Protected-Status CheckRight here
- Mopelia Lagoon Coral Heads & Pearl-Farm Debris0.4 NM away
- Mopelia Lagoon Snorkel & Bommies0.6 NM away
- Mopelia Supply & Self-Sufficiency0.8 NM away
- Mopelia (Maupiha'a) Lagoon Anchorage1 NM away
- Mopelia Coconut Crabs1 NM away
- Mopelia Copra Community (gifts & trade)1.2 NM away
- Mopelia Landing & Copra Etiquette1.2 NM away